Silo-block.



L. McNUTT.

SILO BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED 1UNE25| 19I5.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

THF. COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH p0 WASHINGTON, D. c.

L. McNUTT.

SILO BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1915.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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lag/ ag INVENTOR 4 TTOR/VE Y8 THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D c.

LEWIS MONUTT, OF BRAZIL, INDIANA.

SILO-IBLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application filed June 25, 1915. Serial No. 36,239.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS MCNUTT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brazil, in the county of Clay and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Silo-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in silo construction, and the invention has for its object to provide a construction of block of plastic material capable of hardening and a method of reinforcing the individual blocks and locking them together in superposed courses to form a circularwall capable of resisting any reasonable expansion stress.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a wall constructed in accordance with the invention and with parts broken away, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4:, andFigs. 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 4 -4 and 55, respectively, of Fig. 3. I

In the present embodiment of the invention, a portion of the silo inclosing wall is shown, and it will be seen that the said wall is composed of similar blocks reinforced and interlocked with each other in a manner to be presently described. Each of the blocks 1 is of suitable length, width and thickness, curved transversely on the arc of a circle whose center is the center of the.

building to be constructed, and each block is chambered as shown at 2, four chambers being provided in the present instance, the said chambers extending longitudinally of the block and being separated by webs 3 and 4, arranged at right angles with respect to each other, and intersecting at the center of the block. Each block is provided at each side edge with a series of vertical grooves 5, the said grooves having parallel side walls as shown, and the grooves are spaced apart from each other at equal distances to leave tongues between the grooves and at the outer side of the outermost grooves. Each block is also provided with a series of vertical openings 6 in each end, the said openings being in the outer inclosing wall of the block and in the webs 3 and 4, and the openings of each series extend toward each other from the ends of the block a short distance, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and i.

As is known, the stress'a silo wall must withstand, is the rending or expansion succeeding courses.

Cement indicated at 8 is arranged between the adjacent side edges of the blocks of a course, and the blocks of each course are spaced apart slightly from each other as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cement 8 filling this space and also filling the vertical grooves 5. Thus each bond of cement between adjacent blocks is especially designed to resist lateral movement of the blocks with respect to each other, since each bond consists of a body and laterally extending tongues at each side ofthe body, the tongues engaging the grooves 5 and absolutely preventing lateral movement of the blocks with respect to each other. The chambers or recesses 2 of the blocks are also filled with cement indicated at 9, and this cement in the chambers is continuous with the layer 10 of cement which is laid between adjacent courses. This layer 10 of cement not only fills the space between the blocks on adjacent courses but also fills the openings 6 in the ends of the blocks, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Thus each of. the bonds 10 between adjacent courses is in effect similar to the bond 8 between adjacent blocks of the courses, each bond 10 comprising a body and laterally extending fingers or projections, which engage within the opening 6 and prevent any lateral movement of the blocks of adjacent courses with respect to each other. The rods or rings 7 are arranged between adjacent courses embedded in the bonds 10 as shown in Figs. 3, 4t and 5, and the rods or rings 7 are positively locked to each block of each course above and below the particular rod. One of the rings or rods 7 is arranged above each course, and cotter pins 11 are provided for connecting the rings to the blocks.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4E and 5, the cotter pins are seated on the rods, the eyes of the pins encircling the rods, and the legs of the pins engage within openings 6 at the ends of the block. The cement from the bonds 10 fills in around the cotter pins, and since the legs of the pins diverge from each other it Will be evident that the pins cannot be easily disengaged from the cement. each of the adjacent courses of blocks is locked to the courses above and below by means of the rods or rings 7 and the cotter pins 11. These rods are laid at the webs 4, and the pins 11 engage openings in the webs. Preferably the cotter pins which engage the blocks of the course just below the red are engaged with the central openings 6 of the block, while those pins which engage the blocks just above are engaged with any desired openings of the series at that end.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, it will be noted that the inner and outer curved walls of the blocks are of considerable thickness, and each wall is reinforced at each of the chambers 2 by an extension, the wall being thickened at the center of the recess and rounded as shown. The webs thoroughly brace the blocks against crushing stress, and the blocks of the completed silo will be locked against movement in every direction by the bonds 8 and 10, and the rings and cotter pins. As'each course is laid, the recesses 2 of the courses are filled with the cement 9, and the bond 10 of cement is continuous With .the filling 9 for the openings 2. Thus there is a complete integral'bond of cement extending from the bottom of the silo to the top. Doors and windows may be provided in the completed wall in the usual manner, and the silo may be covered with any desired form of cover.

I claim 1. A. silo wall, composed of blockslaid in superposed courses, and with their long axes vertical, the blocks of each course breaking Thus joints with the blocks of the adjacent longitudinally of the blocks and adapted to receive cement, each block having longitudinally extending grooves at its opposite side edges and having at each end a series of openings extending longitudinally of the block toward the openings at the other end, a bond of cement between adjacent blocks of the courses and between adjacent courses, the bonds entering the grooves and the openings at the ends of the blocks, and rings of metal'between the courses, said rings being at the central web, and locking pins connected with the rings and engaging openings at the ends of the blocks, each ring having locking pins en aging the blocks of the series below and the blocks of the series above, said locking pins being cotter pins, each comprising an eye and legs extending from the eye and diverging from each other, theeye engaging the ring, and the legs engaging the end openings of the blocks.

2. A silo composed of superposed courses of blocks, the blocks of each course breaking joints with the blocks of adjacent courses, each block having transverse reinforcing webs and having openings in the ends extending longitudinally of the blocks for receiving cement bonds, reinforcing rings of metal between adjacent courses and at the center of the blocks, and cotter pins for tying the blocks to the rings, each comprising an eye and legs extending from the eye, the eye engaging the ring and the legs engaging the opening.

LEVIS MoNUTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

